Of Sunshine and Selfishness
by YuShaJi
Summary: Itsuki decides to visit the Clover Tower and has an unusual encounter with one of its inhabitants. Takes place after Heartcatch and DokiDoki.


"It's so big!"

Itsuki couldn't help but agree with the little mascot perched on her head. At a height of 999 metres, the Tokyo Clover Tower certainly lived up to its name as one of the world's tallest radio towers. Though Itsuki had seen taller and more imposing things in the past (she HAD fought a giant human bent on turning the entire planet into a desert in outer space, after all), even she had to admit that the scope of the tower was simply awe-inspiring. This tall structure was built and created by the hands of normal humans and stood as proof that humans could achieve great heights if they worked together. "There's even a mall, an aquarium, and indoor gardens inside. Just how did they go about making this?"

"It's a shame the others couldn't come to see this too, huh?"

"You're right. Yuri's still in Kyoto, Erika isn't on break yet, and knowing Tsubomi, she'd probably faint at the sight of this thing and be too scared to go in." Itsuki smiled, her friends' faces flashing in her mind. "Still, since we're here, we might as well take in four times the experience for all of them right?"

"You got it!" Potpourri replied as Itsuki's hand started petting his head. "We're going to take so many pictures that it'll make Chypre and Coffret jealous!"

Itsuki chuckled. "Just don't get too excited once we get inside, you hear? I know this isn't France so there's less need to keep track of each other, but you should still be careful about people seeing you move or speak, all right?"

"Itsuki, have you SEEN the giant crack in the sky?" Potpourri pointed towards the not-at-all inconspicuous rift in the sky that looked like a giant crack in a wall. "I'm sure the people here wouldn't mind if I move or speak a little if they have to live with something like that every day. But if that's what you want, I'll be sure to keep quiet and hang on real tight!"

"That's good to hear. Now let's go inside!"

*Scene change*

Itsuki and Potpourri had a good time walking around Clover Tower. They spent most of their time in the mall section, where Itsuki felt right at home going from one clothing outlet to another and gushing at whatever clothes they had to offer. There was even a shop full of stuffed animals that sent Itsuki into such a frenzy that the store manager had to personally tell her to stop hugging all of them. Itsuki felt embarrassed for a long time after that while Potpourri did his best to hold back his laughter.

After that, they decided to make their way to the other attractions in the tower. They looked at the various fish in the aquarium, took pictures in the indoor gardens, had lunch in the cafeteria, and looked around at some pop-up accessory stands. Eventually, they made their way over to the observation deck of the tower, where they were met with an absurdly long line. While they waited in line, Itsuki listened in on other people's conversations. Apparently, there was going to be a concert held in front of the Clover Tower in a few days' time for a singer from the Trump Kingdom, which explained why there were more people than usual. When Itsuki asked where the Trump Kingdom was, the person she was talking to smirked and pointed out the window towards the rift in the sky. It was then that she learned about the events that transpired in this city a while back, about how a giant monster appeared out of nowhere one day through a portal from a different world and threatened to destroy the city and how the monster was eventually stopped by group of six flying girls with the assistance of a giant teddy bear. Itsuki laughed when she heard that, partly because of the mental image of a giant teddy bear fighting a giant monster but mostly because the story reminded her of the times when she fought Desertrians as Cure Sunshine. The Heartcatch Pretty Cure had long since died down in popularity back in Kibougahana, but they were still fondly remembered and even talked about on occasion thanks to the efforts of one Kenji Ban who immortalized them in manga form. Itsuki was glad that there were no more battles for her to fight, but a small part of her felt a twinge of nostalgia for those times. If it weren't for what happened back then, Itsuki probably wouldn't have been able to do what she was doing now, studying abroad as a fashion student and enjoying life like a normal girl, and she couldn't help but look back on those times with fondness despite all the hardships she and her friends went through.

Gradually, Itsuki inched closer and closer to the front of the line until she was motioned to walk over to the elevator. One elevator ride later, the elevator doors opened to the observation deck. " _Please refrain from pushing and enjoy the view in an orderly manner_ ," said a woman's voice over the PA.

Itsuki walked over to the glass window and let out a whistle. The view of the city from this high up was amazing. "We're so high up!" she remarked as she brought out her camera. "How are you feeling, Potpourri?"

"I fly up high all the time, so this is nothing!" Potpourri replied in a hushed voice. "But even still, I'm so happy that I got to see this place with you, Itsuki!"

"The same here!" Itsuki then turned her camera over for a self-portrait of her and Potpourri. The yellow fairy gave a small wink as the camera shuttered.

"Whew! I don't know about you, but I'm a bit tired. You mind if I take a little break?"

"No problem! I'll see if there's an open seat." Potpourri shifted his eyes around while trying to remain as motionless as possible. He didn't find any empty benches, but there was an open spot next to a person wearing a white cap and a trench coat. Potpourri subtly motioned Itsuki's head towards the direction of the open seat and Itsuki nodded, following his directions. When they got to the bench, Itsuki turned to the person who was already seated and asked, "Excuse me, would you mind if I sit here?"

"Eh?" The person in the trench coat looked up at Itsuki. Based on the tone of voice and facial features, Itsuki could tell that this person was a girl. She couldn't tell much else given how the hat and trench coat were covering the rest of her body, but what stood out the most to Itsuki was the pair of blue eyes that were staring at her. They were big and round like an innocent child's, which completely clashed with the standoffish image of her attire. Just as Itsuki was thinking this, the blue-eyed girl replied with "No, I don't mind. Go right a-oh!" The girl gasped.

"Huh? Is there something wrong?"

"Your doll on your head. It's…" A grin formed on the girl's face. "It's so cute!" In the blink of an eye, the girl snatched Potpourri from Itsuki's head.

"What the-hey! Give him back!"

The girl didn't listen as she kept petting him. "Aren't you just the cutest little thing? I got no idea what you're supposed to be, but that's part of the charm!" She started rubbing Potpourri's cheek against hers, and Itsuki could see him trying not to cry out for help. "And you're so soft and warm, too! It's almost like…" The girl's voice trailed off before her eyes lit up and turned to Itsuki. "Hey lady!"

"Y-yeah?"

"Does this thing talk?"

"Uh…" Itsuki started to sweat. This was not the kind of situation she expected herself to be in when she came here today. "If you press his stomach, he can make a 'deshu' sound."

"Heh, is that so?" The blue-eyed girl aimed a finger at Potpourri's belly and poked him. On cue, Potpourri said "Deshu!"

"Oooh!" The girl's eyes twinkled with excitement. Fortunately, Itsuki and Potpourri have had enough experiences to prepare for situations like this. The "talking doll" was just one of the many rehearsed scenarios that would satiate any person's curiosity regarding Potpourri and it seemed to be working here. The blue-eyed girl poked Potpourri a couple more times, eliciting more noises from the yellow fairy. However, just when the girl looked like she had her fun and was ready to give Potpourri back, a mischievous glint appeared in her innocent blue eyes and a devilish grin started to form on her face. "Hey, how about we try...button mashing!" Before Itsuki could intervene, the girl started poking Potpourri's stomach in rapid succession. The small fairy tried his best to keep saying "Deshu" every time she pressed his stomach, but he couldn't last forever, and eventually the "Deshu" sound was replaced by screams of pain. By this point, the girl had started laughing so hard she couldn't poke him repeatedly anymore and Itsuki, deciding there was no better time than now, swiftly grabbed Potpourri from the blue-eyed girl's hands.

Itsuki cradled her fairy companion. "A-are you okay?"

The small fairy's blank white eyes and vacant expression were enough to indicate that he was definitely not okay.

Meanwhile, the blue-eyed girl was still laughing. "I like this one! Hey, do you know where I can get my own?"

"Um…" Fortunately, Itsuki had also prepared a response for this question. "Sorry, but this one was handmade by a friend. You can't find any others like him."

The girl pouted. "Aw, really? That's a shame. Although…" The girl put a finger to her cheek as if she were thinking about something. "If he was handmade by a friend, that means he's really important to you, right?"

"Yeah, he is."

"Ah…" The girl's expression softened immensely. "Then I guess I should say sorry, huh?"

"It's fine. It's not like this is the first time it's happened." Itsuki gently placed Potpourri in her bag. "Just try to ask someone if you can look at their things before you take them, okay?"

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind." The girl put both of her hands behind her head. "Say, lady, you mind telling me where you come from? I don't think I've seen you around here before."

"Me?" Itsuki was surprised at the sudden change in topic. "Well, I'm from Japan, but I'm currently studying abroad as a fashion student in France. I came back for a school break."

"Studying abroad, huh? But doesn't that mean you have to learn how to speak a different language? Sounds like a lot of extra work."

Itsuki chuckled. "It is, but I think it's worth it. Truth be told, some of my friends and family were hesitant on the idea, but sometimes you have to branch out in order to broaden your horizons, you know? I guess when I put it that way, I sound a bit selfish, huh?"

"Maybe, but you saw what you wanted and you went all in on it, right? And then things worked out for you in the end? I don't think that kind of selfishness is always a bad thing." The girl looked to the side. "I would know. It's part of the reason I'm here, after all."

"It is? If you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"

The girl looked back. "Do you mean in general or right now?"

Itsuki was confused by the question. It was almost as if the girl was asking her a question that ran much deeper than at the surface level. "Let's go with 'right now.'"

It was subtle, but the girl's expression eased up a bit. "I'm on...what's the word they used?" The girl put a finger to her lip as she started to think. "Standing by?"

"You're on standby?"

"Yeah, that thing!"

"For what?"

"Well, you know how there's going to be a concert in a couple days, right?"

"Yes, I've heard about it."

"Well, a lot of things happened and someone asked me to help out with setting things up. It's not like I had anything else to do, so I figured 'Why not?'" The girl shrugged her shoulders. "When I got here, though, they told me to wait until my help was absolutely necessary. So, I'm just, what's the expression...killing time up here."

"You're with the staff, then? No offense, but…" Itsuki took a moment to look at the girl's clothes. "You don't seem to be in the proper attire."

"Oh, this? These are just some clothes I, er...got from a friend. I'm just wearing them for fun."

"I see…" Given the pause in the reply, Itsuki wondered if this girl took her friend's clothes without asking as well. "Sadly, I'm scheduled to leave this city tomorrow so I won't be able to see the concert."

"Really? That's too bad. The singer that's coming over is a real cut above the rest." The girl snickered, as if she was laughing at an inside joke. "Well, if you're not going to hear her sing here, the least you can do is listen to some of her songs." The blue-eyed girl fished around in her trench coat for a bit before bringing out a CD. On the cover was a picture of a girl with short purple hair that looked no older than Itsuki's age. "Here. Take it."

"Huh?! Wait, you're just giving this to me?"

"Think of it as me saying sorry for messing up your friend there," the girl said, her eyes looking towards Itsuki's bag. "Besides, it's not like I'm losing anything here. That was given to me as a special promotion for the concert, but I can just get Makoto to sing for me any time so…" The girl shrugged. "It doesn't really matter either way."

"Really? Wait, so does that mean you know this person?"

Before the girl could reply, a phone ringtone started playing. The girl brought her phone out to see if it was hers. "Yup, I guess that's my cue to leave! It's been nice talking to you, lady!" She then got up and left.

"Wha-hey!" Itsuki failed to find her words as the blue-eyed girl waved goodbye to her. "Well, there she goes. She was a bit...odd, but it doesn't look like she's all that bad." Itsuki looked at the CD that was given to her. The album was titled "Songbird" and the artist's name was Makoto Kenzaki. "I might as well listen to this right now. I wonder if I have my CD player on me…"

"I got it right here!" Potpourri popped his head out of Itsuki's bag with his hands placed on the CD player and a pair of earphones. "I wanna listen to it too!"

"Hey, you're awake!" Itsuki smiled, relieved that her fairy companion was back to his usual peppy self. "You feeling better now?"

"Mhm! A little time to rest was just what I needed. So, can we start listening?"

"Sure thing!" Itsuki put the CD into the CD player and plugged in her earphones. Placing one earbud in Potpourri's ear, she pressed play.

*"SONGBIRD" starts playing*

"Wow. This is actually…"

"...Really good!"

*Meanwhile*

Having left her newfound acquaintance, the blue-eyed girl headed towards the emergency staircase and closed the door behind her. She then fumbled around on her phone. "Let's see, how do I use this again…" The girl tapped on the green circle on the screen. "Hello? Anyone there? ...Oh! Alice's big bro! Yeah, I'm still here. You want me to come down now? ...Got it, I'll be there in a sec. See you later!"

As she ended her call, the girl opened the door a little to look at the person she was just talking to, who was currently happily listening to the CD she had given her with her doll. "I don't know why, but…" The girl placed a hand on her chest. "Whenever I saw other people smiling in the past, my chest would start hurting. Now, I just feel all warm inside. Is this the happiness that comes from helping others? I guess Mana's rubbed off on me a lot, huh? Still…" The girl closed the door again and put a finger to her chin. "That doll was clearly alive, kind of like Charle, Davi, and the others. Does that mean that that lady is a Pretty Cure, too? Now that I think about it, didn't Mana and the others talk about meeting up with a bunch of other girls some time ago? Something about a spring carnival?" The girl put her finger to her forehead, trying to recollect the memory. "...No, I'm not getting anything. I guess I'll just have to ask them later. But for now, I got something else I need to take care of."

She took off her hat and trench coat, revealing a dark grey dress with red highlights, a black jacket, black stockings adorned with red bats, and long flowing blonde hair. She then took out a large red ribbon and started tying it into a bow on top of her head. "I wonder if Makoto's going to be angry once she finds out I stole her clothes again. Wait, this is Makoto; she probably already is. Oh well, I guess I could say that she left this lying around. She'd accept that, right? Yeah, she totally would!" She snickered with a mischievous smile on her face as she finished tying her ribbon.

"Right," the girl said. "Time for me to get to work. People are counting on me, after all!" And with that, she dropped down the 999 metre staircase with the trench coat and hat in tow all the way to the bottom. She had nothing to fear, though; she could fly, after all.

* * *

 **Author's note: This is the second of the weekly prompts I did for Pretty Cure Amino, with the themes being Cure Sunshine, a skyscraper, and a CD. I know it's kind of stretching it, but the word "skyscraper" could basically be applied to any building that's tall enough to meet the standards and the first thing that came to mind was the Clover Tower from _DokiDoki_ , which is why this ended up as a mini-crossover. I was also originally going to have Itsuki meet Makoto, which is why Makoto's trench coat disguise from the show is there, but I had trouble working in the CD part of the prompt, so I decided bring in our favorite little selfish villainess instead, and honestly? I had more fun writing her than I did with Makoto.**


End file.
